NEA & X: brunchwork After Hours

YOU'RE INVITED TO AN UNFORGETTABLE DINNER with NEA Venture Partner Ben Narasin and X Cultural Alchemist GINA RUDAN. ENJOY AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION WITH BEN AND GINA, CURATED CONNECTIONS, AND A BUSINESS CHALLENGE AND PITCH OFF... OVER A SEASONAL, LOCALLY-SOURCED MEAL.  SPECIAL GUESTS BEN NARASIN IS A VENTURE PARTNER AT NEA, ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST AND MOST ACTIVE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS WITH MORE THAN $20 BILLION IN COMMITTED CAPITAL. BEN IS A 25-YEAR ENTREPRENEUR AND 10-YEAR EARLY-STAGE INVESTOR. HIS KNACK FOR SPOTTING EMERGING TRENDS LED HIM TO MAKE SEED INVESTMENTS IN COMPANIES LIKE DROPCAM, LENDING CLUB, TELLAPART, KABBAGE AND ZENEFITS. BEFORE NEA, NARASIN MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS A GENERAL PARTNER AT CANVAS VENTURES, AND WAS PREVIOUSLY WITH TRIPLEPOINT CAPITAL, WHERE HE OVERSAW THE FIRM’S SEED FUNDING INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES. LIKE MANY OF NEA’S PARTNERS, BEN’S PATH TO INVESTING IS ROOTED IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP. HE FOUNDED SEVERAL CONSUMER COMPANIES BEFORE LAUNCHING HIS INVESTING CAREER, INCLUDING FASHIONMALL.COM, ONE OF THE FIRST E-COMMERCE COMPANIES, WHICH HE FOUNDED AND LED TO A SUCCESSFUL IPO. *** AS X’S CULTURAL ALCHEMIST, GINA LEADS CULTURE AND DIVERSITY FOR ALPHABET’S MOONSHOT FACTORY. X (FORMERLY KNOWN AS GOOGLE X) IS ADIVERSE GROUP OF INVENTORS AND ENTREPRENEURS WHO BUILD AND LAUNCH TECHNOLOGIES THAT AIM TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF MILLIONS, EVEN BILLIONS, OF PEOPLE. INVENTIONS INCLUDE LOON: BALLOON POWERED INTERNET, MAKANI: ENERGY KITES AND WING: AUTONOMOUS AIR DELIVERY. THE COMPANY ALSO SPECIALIZES IN MOONSHOTS, WIND ENERGY, SELF DRIVING CARS, BALLOON POWERED INTERNET, TECHNOLOGY, RAPID EVALUATION, AUTOMATED AIRCRAFT, AND ROBOTICS PRIOR TO JOINING X, GINA WAS A SENIOR DIVERSITY MANAGER AT GOOGLE, WHERE SHE DESIGNED GOOGLE’S FIRST IMMERSE VIRTUAL REALITY EDUCATIONAL SERIES EXPLORING RACIAL IDENTITY. BEFORE GOOGLE, SHE FOUNDED HER OWN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING PRACTICE, GENUINE INSIGHTS INC. AND WROTE THE BEST SELLING BOOK _PRACTICAL GENIUS_. SHE WAS APPOINTED TO BE THE CHIEF INSPIRATION OFFICER FOR THE ENTREPRENEURIAL BARBIE BY MATTEL INC. AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN’S BUSINESS OWNERS AWARDED HER WITH THEIR HALL OF FAME AWARD. OUR PARTNERS   MENU  WE WILL SERVE SALADS AND GRAIN BOWLS.